DESCRIPTION (Taken from application abstract): This proposal requests support for the Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing (PSB), to be held January 4-8, 1998, in Hawaii. This is the 6th meeting of this series, the most recent of which attracted about 180 participants from throughout the world (see http//www.cgl.ucsf.edu/psb97). PSB is distinguished from other conferences in this domain by several features: 1. an inter-mixing of computer scientists and biologists, especially molecular biologists; 2. a participant-initiated program; 3. an emphasis on tool development; and 4. a Pacific Rim focus. We have developed strategies that successfully brought together computer scientists and biologists at PSB'97. These endeavors will be built-on and improved in PSB'98. The participant-initiated program resulted in sessions focussing on emerging topics or on more developed topics that have previously lacked appropriate forums. The interplay of computer and biological scientists is essential for successful tool-building. PSB provides this opportunity. Given the rapid growth of genomic efforts in Japan, given the current or planned investments in computational molecular biology in Singapore, Taiwan, and China, and given the research activity in Australia, it is useful to have one meeting with a Pacific Rim focus. PSB'97 showed a significant increase in participation from the Pacific Rim. With funding, PSB can provide very important connections between US scientists and their Pacific Rim counterparts. This can only become more important in the future.